Small electric generators have been used for short term emergency backup power in residential and small commercial applications for many years. These generators were commonly connected to small critical loads, such as refrigerators, freezers, hotplates, pumps, lighting, fans, radios, etc., one or two at a time using extension cords. As we have become more dependent on electric power the number of loads that we define as critical has increased. Generator manufactures and electrical distribution equipment manufactures are now providing permanently installed generator sub-panels that include a power source transfer or selector switch and a small number of branch circuit breakers for connecting to circuits that are deemed to be critical by the home or small business owner. These critical circuits can be selectively connected to either the utility grid or a local backup generator by the power source transfer or selector switch. Each of these branch circuits can be connected to a single load or a number of loads, a combination of these loads can produce a total load greater than the rated output capacity of the backup generator. Therefore, it is possible for someone to turn on one of the loads or for an automatic operation, such as a pressure switch or thermostat, to turn on a load that, in combination with other active loads, will place the generator in an overloaded condition. Since the backup generator must be located outside the residence or facility, the occupants of the residence or facility may not have any immediate indication that the generators overload condition exists. An overload condition can cause damage to the generator and the connected loads if it is not corrected. Therefore, a means for indicating a generator overload to occupants of the residence/facility as soon as possible is important so that correction of the overload condition can be made before damage occurs. It is also understood that the occupant of the residence of facility may want to use as many of the selected critical loads as possible without causing an overload condition. Therefore, knowing when the activation of a particular load causes an overload condition will permit the occupant to selectively activate as many of the critical loads as possible without causing an overload condition.